Industro Motive Company (IMC) overview

A quick look with what info I could find at the Industro Motive Company (IMC) and the lawsuit with Monogram.

[@richardklug822]

Another great plastic history lesson! If you ever decide to do one about movie monster-themed kits, you can back it with Zevon's "Werewolves of London"!

[@michaelmorgan725]

Dear Max, I really enjoy you "histories" of model companies! Keep up the good work.

[@kenty2831]

Home run on the music, ejecting pilot, battle damaged aircraft. Art imitates life? Your enthusiasm for the topic is courageous and shines in these jewels of "narrated prose". Wow, wow, wow Max.

[@maxsmodels]

thanks

[@davehopwood2068]

Had the Testers re-box of the LearJet many years ago, always wanted the Ford J-car. Started building models with my Dad in the early 60's. Really enjoying the whole series, lots of info that I didn't know about and many blasts from the past! Well done Max!!

[@maxsmodels]

thanks. that means a lot

[@cdjhyoung]

IMC got extra shelf space at the hobby shops where I grew up in Michigan. I think I built more of their kits than any other maker. I wish I had known about the Indy cars, that was my favorite style of racing (still is). The cab over trucks were great. I did a number of them, and did my first kit modification on the, extending he frame and building farm truck bodies. But the battle damaged airplanes were the best. Really started me off on detail painting and trying to understand how an airplane was constructed. Great piece on a forgotten manufacturer.

[@garfieldsmith332]

I remember building a couple of battle damage aircraft. Never could remember who made them Thanks for the information on IMC.

[@mbryson2899]

Great history, I only built one IMC car, I found it on Maxwell Steet mid 70s. And your music selection just got me in trouble. I laughed so loud that my eldest grandkid thought I was having a seizure. :)

[@maxsmodels]

LOL!!!

[@luisarreola9420]

I always thought that IMC had the best engineered models at that time, I built the Ford GT-40 and the VW.

[@fredhettesheimer404]

Another Great video history Max. I guess over the past Forty plus years of building Models I've built and broken at least one kit from every manufacturer OH to have them back now and one sealed in a box. Can only dream Thanks again

[@dugsdale]

Thanks for the overview! I have a couple unbuilt IMC kits, the Ford GT40 and one version of the Jim Clark Loti, that I have dragged around with me since the mid-60s--both sadly water damaged now, but they remind me of a distant time when I thought "Yeah, I might own one of these, one day, for REAL!"

[@manthony1956]

I remember the IMC Mustang II. First car model that I heavily modified, Installed the 429SCJ motor and transmission from an AMT 71 Torino GT. Just like the real Mustang, putting that motor under the hood was a real challenge. Modified the radiator mount, floorpan, shock towers, front suspension, hood, and driveline. I think that I even modified the oil pan. It taught me a lot about doing engine swaps in real vehicles, which I have done.

[@realmaindrianpace]

I never even heard of the 1:32 scale Grand National series cars, and now i need them. Thanks, I think.

[@johndillon8051]

I built the Ford J Car as a lad and it was more detailed and difficult than the usual AMT kit. I remember the headers were made from individual tubes for each cylinder and were a real bear to get aligned properly. The body was also clear so I could use a brush to slop white paint on the underside and get a deep, smooth gloss finish. Fun stuff!

[@pauladams286]

I had heard of the IMC Battle Damage kits, but never seen them. Not long ago I came across the Lindberg Value Pack re-issue of the A-4 Skyhawk and RF-4 Phantom (which has been half-heartedly converted into an F-4G despite still having a camera nose, but seems to have lost its arrester hook). I have just started the A-4, and am really enjoying it. The Battle Damage parts were a great idea, a pity no one seems to do such kits today. There is another Value Pack containing the F-100 and the MiG-21. I wondered why the A-1 and F-105 kits had not been re-issued with the other four, but your video explains that. Thank you.

[@gijoeimmortal1868]

I must say my all time favorite car is a Ford GT40. Iconic , sporty, and ridiculously powerful and fast. Plus I like the doors.

[@AreeyaKKC]

I remember their 1/48 bell jetranger and learjet kit. Came with chrome parts like the hawk kits.

[@jimkline8746]

glad you keep doing the history lessons, I pick up stuff every time. I was more into planes than cars, but I did enter a car model contest in the late 60s and won first place with the Cougar II, even had doors that opened. Keep up the great work.

[@johnwilliams7102]

I had the Cougar II in the box - unopened. I think my wife donated it to Goodwill ... she won’t admit it but it ain’t in my stash. ... still married - cheaper to keep her ...

[@patsplace3539]

Another great history lesson, Thank You. I have many of the cars on display, even the Lear Jet.

[@scottworsley3218]

Great video! I built many IMC kits way back , including the cars and aircraft. I remember the Ford GT being hard to build(many small parts) and loved the battle damaged aircraft.

[@VulcanDriver1]

Great Warren Zevon song! I had the Jim Clarke Lotus models over here in the UK

[@JackFlemingFan1]

As usual another excellent and informative video from you!

[@N-Scale]

Great Kits and miss them but thank god for Round 2 today !!

[@quietsolopursuits1414]

Great song by Warren Zevon, who died too young unfortunately. That Bonanza minibike with the Hodaka 100 engine making 10 HP was a beast, we had one, I'm surprised any of us survived, but great memories.

[@xtalvt]

Super detail and accurate kits ... someone did their homework. I had all the GT40's .... still have all but one un-built and saved. It was amazing they took the time to make each of the models with the small differences in each. The one I built had the standard V8 and also an optional OHC straight six. Even came with the correct jack (looked almost like a dolly). Another great video!!!!!!!!!

[@nu_foz]

That's a cool Learjet kit in the outro, wow. 2 thumbs up!

[@matthewhopson964]

When I look at IMC box art, the phrase "If this doesn't kill you, you're already dead" always comes to mind.

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

I remember back in the early 70s taking my hard earned grass cutting money (.25/ hr) and buying a 1/48 Monogram airplane model. As I became older l became a 3rd generation pilot. I still at 57 have quite a number of models I've built. Loved Monogram back in the day, lots of moving parts. I still have a 1/32 Phantom Mustang that still functions, seriously it works well.

[@colintamiya]

Some molds of IMC's car kits went to a company called Union Models in Japan, which also seemed to have aquired some of Heller's old molds of their car kits.

[@maxsmodels]

I saw that but I didn't include it because it because of, are you ready for this? An editing error. I can be a real slacker sometimes

[@roberthill3207]

I love your channel thank you for sharing your knowledge have a great evening.

[@ottovollmerhousen9055]

Gotta love Warren Zevon; all were gems, R.I.P. . I had the Dodge cab over but can’t remember if it was IMC or Testors. This led to some Peterbuilt and Kenworth kits plus thinking I wanted to be a long haul truck driver, that was a close one! A friend had a Lear 23, it was probably IMC.

[@bluetopguitar1104]

I always meant to buy one of those battle damaged kits. Awesome outro tune!!!

[@FastSports-ScaleCarGarage]

Thanks so much, I've been looking forward to this one! Just great! Keep 'em coming!

[@maxsmodels]

working on Otaki and Heller

[@johnreep263]

I haven’t thought about the Jet Ranger kit I built in the ‘70s till now! I built the Learjet, too.

[@maxsmodels]

had one, loved it

[@CAPNMAC82]

My grandfather did some financial deals with Bill Leer. Never got a ride in one of the planes, but did get some of the new-fangled tape players with eight tracks on them. Wow, I built the Jet Ranger (from a Testor's box)

[@maxsmodels]

yup. Bill invented the 8 track

[@DashaModels]

Interesting overview

[@dougsscalemodels]

< The IMC Dodge L700 is a favorite of mine. I also loved their Mustang II concept car.

[@wyldebyll3089]

I built the GT-40, nice kit. Had the damaged Mig also.

[@larrydee8859]

Once again; Great Video, Max!

[@rickklein7792]

For a 16 year old at the time race cars were exciting. I built every Ford GT model IMC offered including the "J" car. I was in love with the Cougar II even though it was only a prototype. I built 3 versions of the MK IV.

[@jamesdziendziel9187]

Remember when the BEST kit manufacturers were in Detroit, Michigan, Troy, Michigan, and Mount Clemens, Michigan?

[@janandd1]

Thanks...keep up the great work !

[@jefferyrichards3165]

Greetings Sir, Concerning the copyright issue, there is a major difference between the E and H in fuselage lofting lines, the E is the "family" model and could seat 4 or more but the E is the single seat version (I just check google) so in my humble opinion that would require a complete new mold to accomplish. Keep up the great work really enjoy these vlogs, cheers.

[@maxsmodels]

Actually I heard for a viewer who has both and dragged them out after watching the video. He said, except for the battle damage option and minor changed tot eh fuselage they were Identical. It was jury that awarded Monogram damages.

[@charleslawrence429]

Oooohhh. Warren!!! Great choice, always!

[@owenb9370]

I built the IMC Chaparral . Huge number of parts and difficult. This was around 1972.

[@jimburig7064]

It would be fun to see if the parts were interchangeable between the Monogram and IMC kits.

[@maxsmodels]

probably not but you can kitbash anything if you try hard enough

[@farpointgamingdirect]

I enjoy learning about companies that I never knew existed.

[@ronaldplesz7994]

Budd "The Kat" Anderson from AMT left the company to start IMC. He wanted. To offer a. Much more detailed model car kit than his former company had. He was involved in the model car part beginning with the Mustang Ii , Cougar show cars, the Little Red Wagon ,and the cabover Dodge truck. IMC also had 1/32. 1965 Chevy, Pontiac, Ford, Plymouth stock cars which could be used as a slot car body or a built up. They also did a 1948 Ford and Indy cars . these cars were a challenge to build!

[@maxsmodels]

now I learn this

[@DickieDelouise]

ANOTHER great video🙂 IMC was ahead of their time. They had some great kits. I've built the Ford Mustang II concept car, Cougar II, Dodge A100 Lil Red Wagon wheel stander, Dodge L700 Tractor, Tanker trailer, '46-47-48 Ford cvt, and the battle damaged 1:72 RF-4 Phantom and A-4 Skyhawk. The cars were a little fiddly in places, but look nice when finished. I still have a ancient Testors boxing of their Ford Mk.IV. someday I will build it, hopefully, lol. Edit: I also built the Testors boxing of the 1:48 Lear 25. Those vinyl tires sucked... Really sucked 😒 lol

[@gabrielabate6020]

Well, I can say without a doubt that IMC did copy Monogram's F-105. I have both kits now and they're both the same kit, minus IMC's additional battle damage parts. Thanks for the info on IMC.

[@maxsmodels]

thanks for the intel

[@dankamikubo7002]

I built the Lotus 49 and the MiG 21. Always wanted a model of the Ford Mk IV, but missed out. Loved Ford vs Ferrari!

[@kennyswonger5227]

I still rember building the I m c model trucks.I have some put away.still in storage boxes.I wasn't picky on what models id buy.thanks again.

[@rolandpedraza1341]

Had the first Learjet, As I recall in my mind it had chromed parts for landing gear and nylon wheels, the fuselage windows were elliptical shaped, now the newer version I have a feeling that Testor still produced them... by the way love the music.

[@hotwheelsbob2000]

I really like IMC. I built the VW Bug, Little Red Wagon, and the Dodge tilt cab truck as a kid. Some people have problems with the opening doors but they worked well if you are very meticulous. In my collection I have nearly all the 1/25 car kits. I am looking for the 1/32 scale stock car kits. I also have the Testors and Linberg releases. Union of Japan released some of these kits in the 1980s, I think.

[@kennethsooley9938]

I had an IMC VW Beetle kit as a kid. Painted it black to look just like my Godmother's car. There's an original kit currently one bay with a starting bid go $97.00.

[@ronaldplesz7994]

Slight correction, IMC was a company that did injection moulding for the auto industry. The plastic model kits were a sideline. Those model car kits they produced is the work of Budd Anderson who left AMT for IMC. This was probably due to AMT did not want to do an "advanced" kit that Anderson was envisioning, so he found a company that would.

[@maxsmodels]

that explains a lot

[@harry4of4]

I would really like to see your take on the Ideal Toy Company ( ITC ). The Halibut Submarine and Battling Betsy are two of my favorites.

[@maxsmodels]

on the list

[@danf321]

The movie you mentioned “Ford vs Ferrari” is based on a fantastic book I got from the author when at 20th Century FOX: “Go Like Hell” by A.J. Baime.

[@duncanstone8758]

I built the IMC 1965 Lotus Ford, Ford "J" Car, and A-1 Skyraider back in the day. They were great kits, but the "J" Car has loads of small parts since the front and rear hoods and doors were hinged and could open. You really had to be careful with the glue so the hinges would work. The lower wing panel and bomb fins on the Skyraider look just like Monogram's. I always wondered why it was never re-released by Testors or Lindberg and now I know.

[@calvingifford9442]

I always wondered why I never could find a their F-105 & Skyraider battle damaged kits! Well, that I could afford at least.

[@chrismaxfield9123]

Actually there is an older case of a model company suing another for copying their kits - Hawk vs Aurora. Aurora's first two kits, the Grumman F9F Panther and Lockheed F-90, were direct copies of Hawk's kits. Aurora did make some minor changes such as decal locators and an attached pilot, but the basis of the kit and parts layout were Hawk's. Given the fact that Aurora was selling their stock in every five and dime and hobby shop for $0.98 and Hawk was originally selling their kits for about $2.50 exclusively in hobby shops, they had good reason to sue due to the cut into their sales and profits. Aurora apparently made an adequate defense as there is only one way to make an F-90 look, the slight changes to the parts, and the simplistic parts breakdown of kits at the time seemed to indicate original thought. What ultimately turned things against Aurora was the instruction sheet. They copied the instruction sheet wiping away all mention of Hawk and their logos, but everything else was a direct copy. That was the problem. On the witness stand an Aurora exec was queried about a set of dots and dashes at the bottom of the sheet. He had no idea what they were, but were immediately recognizable to anyone that was into amateur radio as they spelled out in Morse - H A W K.

[@ronaldplesz7994]

I don't know if Budd Anderson was involved in the aircraft lawsuit as he may have left the company. I got this info from Model Car Journal which I had a subsciption till they quit publishing.I did'nt know IMC were into aircraft or even seen their aircraft kits on the shelf!. This had to be in the 70s as a last ditch attempt to remain viable as a kit manufacturer.

[@maxsmodels]

thanks. that means a lot

[@JMChladek]

Heck, the battle damaged A-4 and RF-4 kits were so similar to Revell's kits you could swap parts. They "may" have been done in partnership with Revell.

[@garfieldsmith332]

There is one good thing about building military kits. A screw up in the assembly becomes "battle damage".

[@maxsmodels]

That is almost a verbatim quote my older brother made to me when I was about 8 and was working n a model. He also said you splatter (flick) paint on them to look like mud. It covered a multitude of sins.

[@scottkellogg3502]

I remember my older brother building the Mig-21 kit, but he left off the battle damage, and I was disappointed at the time.

[@plethman3669]

I wanted to see a Lemon Pop Cycle built or anything about it and found nothing. Yet again you got me scourging the internet for research. So I was looking at the "what do you think" and they are from different molds, The sprue engineering and the configuration is very close . I think IMC took short cuts and copied the layout after seeing what Monogram did.

[@brucebeauvais1324]

A few odds and ends. The Mustang II as just a show car so only one was built. The Ford V. Ferrari shot should use the GT40 kit as that was the car used for the featured event. The Mk IV did race at Lemans but it was the year after the race in the movie. Ken Miles was killed testing the J-Car. As a result of that crash, the J-car was redesigned to become the very successful Mk IV. I think IMC did all three Fords. GT40,J-car and Mk IV. At least I've a memory of a IMC J-Car box- could be a false memory. I too grew up in Michigan and remember IMC kilts prominently displayed. I always thought of them as cut above Revell/Monogram and way above Lindberg/Hawk.. I did several of the battle-damaged airplanes. The Vietman war was on at the time and all the battle damage kits were of current aircraft. I also did the Lotus Ford. As others have pointed out, the cars were very detailed. I still have unassembled VW Bug and GT40 kilts. I think looked at them and decided the skills required were way above my AMT/Monogram level. Perhaps I just felt that my skiils couldn't do them justice. I'd put IMC's cars up to the Tamiya level in difficulty and detail.

[@briannicklas109]

J-Car kit was real - wish I had one - I have the Ford GT Mk II.

[@orangelion03]

I always liked their kits (and boxes!), but their heyday was before I developed skills commensurate with their fiddly engineering. Those Indy car kits were jewels...would consider the Clark cars if they are re-issued by Round 2. I did build a Little Red Wagon for a customer in the late 80s...by this time I had built a LOT of Tamiya and some of the formerly impressive (to me) engineering of IMC kits was not quite as good as I remembered =D

[@Wild-Dad]

That mustang model box looks familiar. I wonder if that was the first car model I had built.

[@taskmaster58]

$45000 1970's dollars is $290,548.49 in 2020 dollars.

[@wall-e3313]

I've built the Lindberg issues of the Mustang II and Cobra and they turned out great. I put some extra effort (and putty) into the bodies to get the panels to blend in better. I also built the mid '60s VW in the mid '90s, which was sold by the Japanese company 'Union' at that time. Are you familiar with that one?

[@bkmodelcars]

I'd like to get a bunch of those IMC had some great kits thank God the Little Red Wagon lives on although I'd like to get a hold of a touch-tone tear

[@dday9257]

B K model cars Check EBay I see them on there occasionally sometimes still sealed.

[@williamnoll7935]

We STILL make AWESOME cars! Hey I know some people won't give up on the romance of a sixties-era muscle car, like the Mustang, but my '19 Mustang Convertible with the 5.0 Coyote has 455 HP! And it's safer and tells me where I'm at! I know at $50k it's a bit steep in price, but who cares! First On Race Day!

[@Diabolik771]

6:35 Ooh, I've been looking for a Bell Jet Ranger. I want to do a "Dawn of the Dead" diarama but getting a model in the same scale as figures has been a challenge.

[@jballew2239]

There should be some OH58 and OH6 kits in 1/35 scale. If you're working larger though, probably something that exists only as a one off vacuform.

[@hun6444]

Great song. The late great Warren Zevon.

[@maxsmodels]

he truly was

[@briannicklas109]

"Ford vs Ferrari" was great - Matt Damon is far too pretty to be Carroll Shelby, but he got the mannerisms and style done. If they put a small prosthetic wedge on Christian Bale's nose, he would have been a dead ringer for Ken Miles, It was a movie, not a documentary, so well done for that. That Mustang II prototype model was done by Lindbergh in fairly recent years, but the Ford "J Car" (that Miles died in) was never released past IMC, I wish it had. I remember the "battle damaged" kits on the shelves of the local drug store - as they are now part of CVS, good luck seeing a model there now!

[@13bravo72]

Send lawyers guns and money...Great tune! But in the current circumstances, it should be 'Send models, paint, and glue, get me out of this!'

[@richardwillett]

Funny when the 'New" Lindberg came out with the battle damaged kits the Skyradier was not one of them.

[@whirlybird3189]

Lindberg battle damaged kits are on eBay.

[@maxsmodels]

some kits will not die

[@whirlybird3189]

@@maxsmodels can't recall if you did one on hobbycraft Canada. I can't find out anything about them?

[@SCSuperheavy114]

You brought up how some kits never die...I’d love to know what is the oldest kit (mold)still in production

[@maxsmodels]

hmmm. me thinks that b interesting. I will see what I can find. Might be the HAWK early airplane racers

[@papaloongie]

Bitterly ironic. lol Love the show!!

[@Checobeep]

I enjoy your videos, but you have a big discrepancy between the voice over volume and the music volume; the v/o is very much softer, leading to ear blasting music when it switches over. I would recommend recording v/o at highest level possible, -6db below redline (for digital recording) or employ a mic preamp if you can't get any more gain. Just have to avoid distortion. Keep up the good work!

[@maxsmodels]

Yeah, I need to be more careful about that

[@cipherthedemonlord8057]

I was confused by that Mustang II looked nothing like the awful thing from 74. Kinda want a model now that front end is nice.

[@rundoetx]

I loved those "battle damaged" kits. But not as much as I love Warren Zevon!!!

[@robertschaeffer5861]

The Lotus was a favorite of my grade school greaser pals...

[@maxsmodels]

only us geezers say greaser :)

[@michaelgautreaux3168]

🏆🏅🏁, U da 💣 😆😉. Too right ! Warren Zevon 😆 👍 👍

[@bravoninetyseven]

That dune buggy looked like Wonderbug.

[@andreamassara590]

I find quite weird that Monogram sued IMC, but did not the same thing against Revell, which copied their 1:48 scale B-17 Flying Fortress. Accordingly to what reported on Thomas Graham's "Monogram Models" book, Bob Reder of Monogram just phoned Revell "not to do that again".

[@maxsmodels]

It does seem a more gentlemanly approach. I am guessing it was Mattel that did made Besser go after IMC as he was not in full control following the 1968 buyout by the Handlers. I doubt Revell wanted to tangle with Mattel in court but these are all guesses on my part.

[@heidihobear]

I actually have a lot of imc car kits

[@maxsmodels]

so what do you think of them?

[@naturalobserver6130]

So do you know if rustolum is going to make hobby paint? My hobby shop says it can no longer get testor model master paint.

[@maxsmodels]

I doubt it

[@andyrichardsvideovlogs8835]

Come back IMC all is forgiven.... Big hint Round2... Get re-releasing them fast 👍

[@lancerevell5979]

Those "battle damaged" kits look suspiciously like the Lindberg battle damaged kits. I am surprised Lindbergs owners didn't sue, or maybe they had the same owners by then? Things get weird when companies do these buyouts! I had never heard of IMC.

[@maxsmodels]

That is because they are

[@endurorider44]

Wooohooo Warren Zevon! Where is the headless Thompson gunner?????????

[@maxsmodels]

don't tempt me

[@Ken-bw1ux]

Thank the gods we only got older! I hope I never grow up..........just don't tell my wife I said that!! :)

[@maxsmodels]

me 2

[@jimburig7064]

Growing up is optional. Growing old is inevitable (sigh).

[@nanorider426]

My wife knows it, - that I never am going to grow up. I think she likes it this way, because we build big Lego houses and play board games every weekend. ^^

[@jenniferwhitewolf3784]

We had that '65 Indy Lotus... those kits should be back in production with Round 2. I guess I'll have to look. Monogram should not have done legal action.. how darn many ways is there to design a kit of the same thing. MTH and Lionel have done the same crap... I refuse to buy any MTH because of the Hell and damage they have wrought in the model train biz. F vs F, good for action shots of cars, but borderline fantasy in how they mess up the real history... ok, its just a fun movie, not a historical documentary.

[@StarfleetGrad]

IMC is by far my favorite when it comes to classic model kits. I have build almost the entire catalog and going thru their racing car line for a second or maybe third time bringing them up to 21st century contest standards. Accurate Miniatures successfully sued Hasegawa over their B-25 kits. Why AM was able to "come back to life". The Hasegawa 1/72 B-25 series of kits were AM kits scaled down. How did AM know? There are "tells" the mold makes put in the kits, Haswgawa copied every one. It's also why Hasegawa never released any of the early B-25 kits. The Jig was up. Hobbycraft was another company sued successfully and their 1/32 line of kits had to be pulled from the US Market. Max, drop me a message thru my web store if you want to e-mail. starfighter hyphen decals dot com and use the e-mail under about us tab.

[@maxsmodels]

will do

[@maxsmodels]

what is the link to you webstore?

[@soaringbumnm8374]

I got to hop in a 23...ZOOOM !!!

[@maxsmodels]

that beyotch moves! The 25G I rode in was the fastest of the lot.

[@soaringbumnm8374]

Go like scat...damn the noise and fuel burn...gotta luv it !!!

[@henkbarnard1553]

6:08 And didn't shoot an eye out.

[@maxsmodels]

but I did take out the rear window of my Grandmother;s Maverick with BB gun! See my Fujimi video

[@vengeance1701]

On your comparison pic, your labels are reversed. You have IMC over the Monogram model and vice versa.

[@maxsmodels]

Good eye" More attention....less Scotch :)

[@vengeance1701]

@@maxsmodels Generally good advice:)

[@kenshores9900]

I built the heck out of Lindbergh models. Lots and lots of them. I did see Ford v Ferrari. It didn’t paint Ford managers as nice people mostly scum. Especially Bebe. Ken Mills won LeMan.

[@maxsmodels]

agreed

[@kenshores9900]

maxsmodels Thanks. Carol Shelby was a unique individual as well.

[@DrCrapologist]

2:28 your captions are reversed. IMC had well engineered car kits, their GT-40's still go for money.